Accelerating a Feminist Covid-19 Recovery

FEMINIST SCORECARD 2021 ACCELERATING A FEMINIST COVID-19 RECOVERY

Feminist scorecard 2021 ACCELERATING A FEMINIST COVID-19 RECOVERY

March 2021

Oxfam is a global movement of people working to end injustice and poverty. Our mission is to build lasting solutions to poverty and injustice while improving the lives and promoting the rights of women and girls.

Oxfam Canada 39 McArthur Avenue, Ottawa, ON K1L 8L7 1 800 466 9326 [email protected] www.oxfam.ca OxfamCanada oxfamcanada Contents

Introduction...... 2

Methodology...... 3

1 GLOBAL LEADERSHIP ON WOMEN’S RIGHTS ...... 6

2 INVESTING IN WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP AND GENDER-BASED ANALYSIS...... 9

3 ENDING GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE AND ENSURING BODILY AUTONOMY...... 12

4 REDUCING POVERTY FOR THE MOST MARGINALIZED WOMEN...... 15

5 INVESTING IN THE CARE SECTOR...... 18

6 Responding to Humanitarian Crises and Building Lasting Peace ...... 21

7 UPHOLDING THE RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS WOMEN...... 24

8 Tackling Climate Change and Regulating Extractive Industries...... 27

9 ADDRESSING THE UNEQUAL ECONOMICS OF WOMEN’S WORK...... 30

10 BUILDING A PROGRESSIVE TAX SYSTEM...... 33 endNotes...... 37

Oxfam Canada acknowledges the historical and ongoing oppression and colonization of all Indigenous Peoples, cultures and lands in what we now know as Canada. We commit to acting in solidarity with First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples in their struggles for self-determination and decolonization and in support of the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (2015) and the Calls for Justice of the National Inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (2019). Oxfam Canada’s offices are located on the unceded, unsurrendered traditional territories of the Algonquin Anishinabe, Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh peoples. We recognize the privilege of operating on lands that these peoples have nurtured since time immemorial. As guests on these lands, we commit to walking in solidarity with our host nations and according to Oxfam’s values of equality, empowerment, solidarity, inclusiveness, accountability and courage.

1 Introduction

2020 was a year of unprecedented challenges for development, representation and leadership, gender- people in Canada and around the world. COVID-19 based violence and sexual and reproductive health has disrupted every aspect of life and required and rights, poverty, care work, conflict and crisis, government interventions of a scale and scope not the rights of Indigenous women, climate change seen in decades. The coronavirus knows no borders and extractive industries, jobs and pay equity, and and does not discriminate, but, in a world marked by taxation. extreme inequality and injustice, there is no question There is no doubt this has been a challenging year that some people have been hit harder than others for the government. The crisis demands strong have. In every country around the world, the poor and leadership; the government responded with swift marginalized have been more impacted by the social, action and a massive influx of resources to address economic and health impacts of the pandemic. It is no the social and economic fallout of the pandemic. As coincidence that the pandemic has disproportionately lockdown measures were put into place to slow the impacted women, especially those who belong to spread of the virus, the government was quick to Black, Indigenous or racialized communities, (im) respond with historic investments in social protection migrants and refugees, women living with disabilities and other emergency benefits to prevent people, and members of the 2SLGBTIQ+ community. having lost their jobs and livelihoods, from falling into Millions of women are filling the ranks of essential poverty. The government was also quick to recognize workers, but women have also seen the most the impact of lockdown measures on women’s safety significant job losses and are dropping out of the and worked with women’s groups to ensure shelters workforce due to increased care responsibilities. The and sexual harassment centres had the resources to feminist movement in Canada was quick to respond, adapt their operations and scale up intake. Canada analyzing the differentiated impacts of the pandemic responded to global calls to action to scale up and calling for an intersectional feminist response humanitarian response, provide debt relief for the to COVID-19, and rejoicing when the government poorest countries and invest in the COVAX vaccine committed to a feminist, intersectional COVID-19 facility. 2021 recovery in the September Speech from the Throne. However, the response has exposed gaps that are Feminist Scorecard 2021 is the fifth edition in this particularly profound for the most marginalized, Oxfam Canada series. Considering the far-reaching including Indigenous, racialized and (im)migrant impacts of the pandemic, this year’s scorecard women, members of the 2SLGBTIQ+ community, focuses on the government’s actions to help women living with disabilities and refugees. Women Canada and the world respond and recover from the have dropped out of the workforce in droves bringing pandemic. The scorecard provides a snapshot of the women’s labour force participation to the lowest it government’s actions since the start of the pandemic has been in 30 years. Economic security for women in March 2020 until February 2021 to assess the and gender-diverse people must be a priority, and degree to which it has advanced gender equality and investments in women-majority sectors and child applied an intersectional feminist lens in response care will be imperative to advancing gender equality and recovery measures. The scorecard ranks the and preventing an unnecessarily slow and uneven government’s response along 10 policy areas: global economic recovery. Feminist Scorecard

2 As the world moves from response to recovery, it is disaggregated data collection and analysis on the clear that more has to be done to ensure no one is impacts of the pandemic. COVID-19 has shown us left behind. The government has an opportunity to what is possible if there is political will. Let us learn strengthen its intersectional feminist analysis and from this crisis as we collectively look ahead to tackle build a path for recovery that ensures women in all the biggest challenges faced by humanity: extreme their diversity are heard and seen as partners. This inequality, displacement and conflict, and the will require more women and gender-diverse people climate crisis. in leadership and decision-making spaces and better

Methodology

No single change will transform the lives of women 5 Care work: investing in the care sector living in poverty and struggling to realize their rights. 6 Conflict and crisis: responding to humanitarian The barriers women face and the opportunities they crises and building lasting peace lack stem from complex and long-entrenched systems of inequality and discrimination. A holistic approach 7 Indigenous women: upholding the rights that addresses a myriad of interconnected factors of Indigenous women is therefore required to make real progress towards 8 Climate change and extractives: tackling climate gender equality. change and regulating extractive industries Oxfam Canada’s Feminist Scorecard 2021 presents a 9 Work and pay equity: addressing the unequal feminist assessment of the Canadian government’s 2021

economics of women’s work COVID-19 response and recovery from when the pandemic began in March 2020 to February 2021. 10 Tax: building a progressive tax system Ten policy areas are assessed: Each of the policy areas includes an analysis of where 1 Global development: global leadership on the government got it right and where it missed the women’s rights mark and provides recommendations for the way 2 Representation and leadership: investing in forward. women’s leadership and gender-based analysis The Feminist Scorecard 2021 focuses on decisions 3 Gender-based violence and sexual and made by the Canadian government between March reproductive health and rights: ending gender- 2020 and February 2021. The scorecard does not offer based violence and ensuring bodily autonomy a comprehensive analysis of every policy decision this government made impacting women and gender 4 Poverty: tackling poverty for the most equality, nor does it reflect the state of women’s marginalized women Feminist Scorecard

3 rights in Canada or globally. Rather, it presents an • Tackling Inequalities in the Global Economy: Making assessment of actions that have, or have not, been Canada’s foreign policy work for women (2017)1 taken by the government in these 10 policy areas • Oxfam Canada’s Feminist Principles: What they are to advance a feminist response and recovery to and how they serve as a guidepost for our work COVID-19. It is, in the simplest of terms, a snapshot (2018)2 of the volume and quality of federal government action during this specific time period. • A Feminist Approach to Localization: How Canada can support the leadership of women’s rights actors Policy areas are rated using a traffic light system – in humanitarian action (2018)3 red, yellow, green – indicating very little, some or significant progress. • A Feminist Approach to Women’s Economic Empowerment: How Canada can lead on addressing A more in-depth analysis of the policy areas the neglected areas of WEE (2019)4 covered by the Feminist Scorecard, in addition to an articulation of the feminist principles that guide • Advancing Canada’s Global Leadership on Sexual Oxfam Canada’s work, can be found in a number and Reproductive Health and Rights (2019)5 of recent publications, including: • Feminist Aid: A call for G7 leaders to beat inequality (2019)6 • Who Cares? Why Canada needs a public child care system (2019)7 • Time to Care: Unpaid and underpaid care work and the global inequality crisis (2020)8 • Investing in a Feminist Green COVID-19 Recovery: Oxfam Canada’s recommendations for Budget 2021 (2020)9 • Oxfam’s Recommendations for Canada’s Feminist Foreign Policy (2020)10

GREEN = SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS YELLOW = SOME PROGRESS RED = LITTLE PROGRESS

FEMINIST SCORECARD What action has the government taken to 2021

advance women’s rights and gender equality?

CONFLICT & CRISIS GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT Canada has made significant contributions to the global Canada invested in critical humanitarian assistance as response to COVID-19. This has included contributions to needs grew due to COVID-19, and has continued to support the COVAX shared vaccine facility and debt relief. Building women peacebuilders. But Canada’s support for refugees on existing feminist policies, the government is working fell short as many were stranded due to disrupted services to release a feminist foreign policy to bring a coherent caused by the pandemic. Canada also continues to sell feminist approach to all its foreign engagements. arms to Saudi Arabia, intensifying the conflict and putting Yemeni women peacebuilders at heightened risk. REPRESENTATION INDIGENOUS WOMEN & LEADERSHIP First Nations, Inuit and Métis women and gender-diverse Women have been at the forefront of Canada’s COVID-19 people continue to make their voices heard and demand response and women’s organizations have been advocating action to ensure their rights are fulfilled. The government for a feminist response and recovery. The government maintains its commitment to ending violence against should strengthen its Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA+) Indigenous women, but progress on the National Action and ensure women’s movements have the resources to Plan on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and adapt and be part of key decision-making spaces. Girls is slow. GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE CLIMATE CHANGE & SEXUAL & REPRODUCTIVE & EXTRACTIVES HEALTH & RIGHTS Canada has set an ambitious climate agenda that has the potential to advance a just, green recovery. It is crucial Women and gender-diverse people experienced a rise to put the voices and solutions of women, gender-diverse in violence as a result of the pandemic. The government people and Indigenous people at the center of this quickly provided resources to shelters and sexual assault approach, to apply a feminist intersectional lens, and centres to address this shadow pandemic, but more to explicitly address the role of Canada’s mining, oil needs to be done to address ongoing gaps in sexual and gas sectors. and reproductive health services. POVERTY WORK & PAY EQUITY The economic downturn caused by this pandemic has had The government has provided critical social protection a disproportionate impact on women, especially racialized to millions of people in Canada in record time to mitigate women, who have made up the majority of job losses. The the social and economic impacts of the pandemic. But, recently announced Task Force on Women in the Economy some of the most marginalized, including racialized women with precarious immigration status and women is a promising start. However, the government must prioritize with disabilities, fell through the cracks. building back women’s labor force participation, and ensuring the needs of the most vulnerable workers are met. CARE WORK TAX We will face an unnecessarily slow economic recovery if women who have lost their jobs or been forced to leave Wealth inequality is growing, with the wealthiest Canadians them due to caregiving duties cannot return to paid – mostly men – benefiting from tax loopholes and not work because of a lack affordable and quality child care. paying their fair share. At a time when COVID-19 threatens COVID-19 has exposed Canada’s broken long-term care to unravel decades of progress towards gender equality, system, which needs attention urgently. the leadership of Canada’s first-ever female finance minister is raising hopes that progressive tax reform may finally begin after years of undelivered promises.

5 1 GLOBAL LEADERSHIP ON WOMEN’S RIGHTS GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT

SCORE: GREEN As COVID-19 continues to deepen social and economic inequality around the world, Canada has demonstrated leadership by The Issue supporting the COVAX shared vaccine facility and responding The past year has exposed the vulnerabilities wrought by deep economic to the UN’s global appeal for and social inequalities in our global systems. The confluence of COVID-19, COVID-19 debt relief. In the midst entrenched gender inequalities, climate change, extreme economic of the pandemic, Canada has inequality, conflict and global displacement have disproportionately continued to engage with civil impacted vulnerable women and girls in developing countries. Members society to design a feminist of the 2SLGBTIQ+ community have also experienced heightened social foreign policy. In order to live exclusion, discrimination and violence including targeted persecution up to the promise of its feminist amidst COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions.12 For the first time in two agenda, Canada must act now decades, global poverty is rising – and at an alarming rate. The UN projects to increase its international that by the end of 2021, 150 million more people will have fallen into assistance at a time when extreme poverty.13 As a result, the UN has called for a $2.5 trillion COVID-19 Canadian aid is needed more crisis package – including $1 trillion in debt relief – to help developing than ever. countries address the long-term social, economic and health impacts of COVID-19.14

COVID-19 is a threat that does not recognize borders and will only be overcome through coordinated action. Our global response is part of our domestic response: we will not be safe from COVID-19 in Canada until “everyone, everywhere is. International co-operation between governments and other health partners will be crucial to beat the virus. Our government will continue to be a progressive voice to ensure a more equitable access for treatments.”

— The Honourable Karina Gould, Minister of International Development (2020)11

6 The pandemic has heightened the need for With women and gender-diverse people being international assistance and collaboration to ensure hardest hit by the social and economic impacts of the a just and inclusive recovery.15 Building on its COVID-19 crisis, Canada’s investments in feminist aid commitment to a feminist approach to international are needed now more than ever to protect women’s assistance and foreign policy, Canada has made rights and sustain gains towards gender equality. strides in supporting debt relief and equitable The already limited access to sexual and reproductive access to vaccines and has invested in critical health (SRH) services for women, girls and 2SLGBTIQ+ feminist programming. Now is the time to increase peoples has been further reduced by COVID-19.20 Canada’s official development assistance to meet Canada has been an outspoken advocate for SRH global targets and accelerate progress in closing globally, pushing back against harmful anti-rights remaining gaps. agendas, including the “Geneva Consensus” promoted by the US under the Trump Administration.21 In June 2020, Minister Gould announced $93.7m to help ensure Where the government access to safe, legal abortions and SRH services and initiatives.22 This constitutes part of the government’s got it right earlier 10-year Commitment to Global Health and Rights, which ramps up Canada’s investments in the By the end of February 2021, the federal government health and rights of women, adolescents and children announced it had committed more than $2bn to the to $1.4bn by 2023–2024, with a specific commitment global response to COVID-19.16 This included more of $700m annually for SRH initiatives.23 than $940m in funding for the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, which aims to support In February 2020, building on Canada’s Feminist equitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments International Assistance Policy and National Action and vaccines, including for the poorest countries, Plan on Women, Peace and Security, then Minister as well as $325m for the COVAX Advance Market of Foreign Affairs, François-Philippe Champagne, Commitment (AMC) stream, a critical global effort announced his intention to consult with civil society aimed at enabling 92 low- and middle-income to inform an official statement of Canada’s feminist countries to access vaccines.17 The Minister of foreign policy.24 Global Affairs Canada hosted these International Development, Karina Gould, has also consultations throughout the fall.25 Only five weeks taken up a leadership role co-chairing the COVAX into his tenure as Canada’s new Minister of Foreign AMC Engagement Group. Affairs, Marc Garneau hosted a roundtable continuing this initiative. The policy statement is on track to

Supporting global efforts to relieve low- and middle- 2021

be released in the spring. income countries from debt payments, Canada joined the Debt Service Suspension Initiative, a program that allows eligible developing countries to suspend official bilateral debt-service payments Where the government during the pandemic. Canada has openly advocated missed the mark for debt suspension and the extension of bilateral loans for poorer countries, which is laudable.18 The government came under criticism when it Given the scale of the crisis, it is critical that Canada announced in early February that it would procure support global efforts towards full debt cancellation, vaccines for Canadians from the COVAX facility. including from private and multilateral creditors, and Considering COVAX is the only source of vaccines in advocate for the allocation of special drawing rights 2021 for the world’s poorest countries, and Canada to provide additional reserves to countries when has already purchased enough vaccines to immunize funding needs are large.19 the Canadian population five times over, this move undermines global efforts to protect essential health workers no matter where they live. Feminist Scorecard

7 Despite the robust framework provided by Canada’s • Increase investments in feminist programming Feminist International Assistance Policy, the to address gender-based violence and unpaid government has failed to fund dedicated programs and paid care work, and strengthen the application to tackle gender-based violence globally, even of intersectionality within the Feminist International though it has recognizing that lockdown measures Assistance Policy to ensure the needs of vulnerable and pressures brought on by disrupted livelihoods populations such as racialized women and have increased violence against women and 2SLGBTIQ+ peoples are adequately addressed. 2SLGBTIQ+ peoples. This is a major oversight • Establish and fill a position at Global Affairs Canada in Canada’s international assistance. Experts to coordinate policy and programming to support estimate a shocking increase of 61 million cases 2SLGBTIQ+ movements internationally, including on of violence and femicides this past year. 2SLGBTIQ+ diplomatic missions abroad, and increase funding advocates are also calling on Canada to increase for the advancement of the rights of 2SLGBTIQ+ international aid for organizations working on issues peoples to $20m per year. related to sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and sex characteristics, as they are facing increased discrimination and criminalization from governments using COVID19 as a pretext for crackdowns.

What’s needed now:

• Invest 1% of Canada’s domestic COVID-19 response and recovery spending in new and additional official developmental assistance, and commit $7.8bn for the International Assistance Envelope in 2021–2022. • Leverage Canada’s influence to encourage the World Bank and the G20, as well as private lenders and other multilaterals, to expand and extend the Debt Service Suspension Initiative, and champion 2021

the forgiveness of bilateral debt instead of the deferral of payment. • Champion an emergency waiver of certain intellectual property provisions being negotiated at the World Trade Organization to free vaccine production from patent restrictions. Increase Canada’s contributions to COVAX to support equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines for poorer countries. Feminist Scorecard

2 INVESTING IN WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP AND REPRESENTATION & LEADERSHIP GENDER-BASED ANALYSIS Women have been at the forefront of Canada’s COVID-19 response SCORE: GREEN and the government has invested in feminist movements. But women’s rights organizations struggled to access flexible The Issue funding and decision-making spaces during critical moments of Several articles and studies this past year highlighted a correlation the pandemic. This speaks to the between female leadership and successful pandemic response, noting that outcomes related to COVID-19, including the number of cases and need to strengthen Canada’s GBA+ deaths, were systematically better in countries led by women.27 In Canada, approach, especially the use of women have played a strong leadership role throughout the COVID-19 intersectional analysis, to ensure response. Some of the biggest government portfolios tasked with steering an equitable COVID-19 recovery. the country through this crisis have been led by women ministers, including Finance, Health and Procurement. The provinces with female Chief Medical Officers were most successful in flattening the curve.28 The government’s emphasis over the past years on building women’s leadership ensured a more gender-responsive COVID-19 response, which is critical considering the disproportionate socio-economic impact of the pandemic on women.

Women have been hardest hit by COVID. They continue to take on the majority of the work on the frontlines of the pandemic. Our government is investing in women’s and equity-seeking organizations because it’s one “of the best ways to advance gender equality.” — The Honourable Maryam Monsef, P.C., M.P., Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development26

9 Canada’s COVID-19 response could nonetheless appointments and leadership development within have been stronger with a more robust GBA+ the Public Service.”33 This a positive step towards analysis and greater inclusion of women and addressing longstanding inequities within government gender-diverse people in decision-making.29 The departments and, hopefully, improving intersectional Canadian women’s sector also faced significant analysis. challenges this past year, including financial In November 2020, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland insecurity and lack of access to decision-making hosted a roundtable with women’s rights advocates spaces, yet provided valuable services and analysis who shared their recommendations for a feminist to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 on women recovery.34 This was a welcome step considering and gender-diverse people. women’s rights and feminist organizations have a hard time accessing fiscal policy spaces, including the House Standing Committee on Finance’s pre- Where the government budget consultations. During the Committee’s got it right Federal Budget 2020 consultation, out of almost 300 organizations and individuals, a mere seven witnesses The feminist movement in Canada was elated to spoke to gender equality and women’s rights. hear the government’s commitment to a “feminist, intersectional response to this pandemic and recovery” during the Speech from the Throne in Where the government September 2020.30 This commitment recognizes that the pandemic has disproportionately impacted missed the mark women, especially those who belong to Black, Women’s rights organizations and feminist movements Indigenous or racialized communities, (im)migrants have been at the forefront of providing critical and refugees, women living with disabilities services during the pandemic and have provided and members of the 2SLGBTIQ+ community and much needed analysis of the impacts of COVID-19 requires specific actions to prevent a rollback of on women and gender-diverse people. Despite gender equality gains made over the last decades. these contributions, it has been difficult for these The Department of Women and Gender Equality organizations to access key COVID-19 decision- underscored that commitment through the launch making spaces within government, and they fear of a $100m Feminist Response and Recovery Fund.31 for their financial sustainability.

The government reiterated its commitment to 2021

The government provided various emergency benefit applying GBA+ across all government operations measures, such as wage and rent subsidies and, in in the supplementary mandate letters for Cabinet April 2020, distributed $350m to charities impacted by ministers in 2021,32 which underlines the need the pandemic.35 However, in a survey by Oxfam Canada for a whole-of-government approach. The 2021 and partners conducted in the fall of 2020, 39% of supplementary mandate letter for the Minister for responding women’s rights organizations noted that Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic they were not able to access any government funding Development, Maryam Monsef, also included a as their needs did not meet the funding criteria.36 The commitment to supporting the Prime Minister’s same survey revealed that 51% of organizations had to Office, Treasury Board and Privy Council to “develop cut back on vital services and 48% had to cancel some and implement an action plan to increase the of their programming completely due to restrictions representation of women, Black and racialized preventing the spread of COVID-19.37 The most Canadians, persons with disabilities, Indigenous significant impact of COVID-19 for 45% of responding Peoples and LGBTQ2 Canadians in hiring, women’s rights organizations was new costs and expenditures. Twenty-five percent of respondents Feminist Scorecard

10 identified unrestricted funding support as most critical during the COVID-19 pandemic in order to ensure their sustainability.38 The launch of the Feminist Response and Recovery Fund is a positive step towards addressing some of the funding gaps experienced by the women’s movement this past year, but calls for funding that is more flexible and that can cover core operational costs continue.

What’s needed now:

• Improve the quality and consistency of GBA+ implementation across government, particularly in terms of intersectionality, by building the capacity of the federal bureaucracy. This will requires better disaggregated data collection. • Apply a comprehensive GBA+ approach to all emergency benefit policies and programs and ensure the inclusion of feminist organizations in decision-making bodies. • Immediately set up a low-barrier, accessible fund for women-serving agencies and women’s rights organizations to cover overhead and essential operational costs, which will help relieve pressure on existing project funds and compensate for downturns in fundraising in the pandemic environment. In the long-term, continue providing them with core funding to support continued advances in gender equity in Canada. 2021

Feminist Scorecard

11 3 ENDING GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE AND ENSURING GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE & BODILY AUTONOMY SEXUAL & REPRODUCTIVE SCORE: GREEN HEALTH & RIGHTS

Women and gender-diverse people across the country, particularly The Issue those who reside in remote or For too many women and gender-diverse people, measures to curb the rural areas, have faced multiple spread of the virus have not resulted in increased safety, but rather the barriers to accessing gender- opposite. Lockdown measures, including reductions in mobility, have based violence and sexual and meant that too many women are literally locked up with their abusers reproductive health services in and/or cannot access essential time-sensitive services to ensure their the wake of COVID-19. The Liberal bodily autonomy, such as abortion and contraception. Increases in reports government’s announcement of of domestic violence have ranged from 20–30%, and up to 60% in some vital funding to ensure the safety 40 locations. Shelters and transition homes have also seen an escalation in and access to services for those the severity of violence and changes in the types of violence experienced fleeing violence was a major step by women.41 Those with the least access to services – those in rural in the right direction. More is and remote areas, Indigenous, Black, racialized and (im)migrant women, needed to address the ongoing women living with disabilities, and gender non-conforming and trans and heightened barriers to sexual people – have been experiencing the highest rates of violence. Those living in rural or remote areas and those with a lower socio-economic and reproductive health services. status faced further obstacles throughout the COVID-19 pandemic,

After 38 years of this table coming together, we have reached agreement with every jurisdiction to move forward together on a plan to better support survivors and their families and to work to prevent gender-based “violence from happening in the first place.” — Minister Monsef, January 2021 at the FPT meeting of Status of Women Ministers.39

12 having difficulty accessing sexual and reproductive The input of survivors, community organizations health services. and experts is vitally important. Considering that the implementation of a National Action Plan on The government was quick to recognize the impacts Gender-Based Violence and a National Action Plan that lockdowns would have on women and gender- on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls diverse people. Shelters welcomed the federal will require close collaboration between the federal government’s emergency funding, which provided government and provinces and territories, the joint a lifeline for these organizations, but more is needed declaration of Ministers responsible for the Status to ensure the sustainability of the sector, increase of Women in January 2021 was a welcome step.46 shelter capacity to respond to increased demand, and provide remote services. Also, more is needed to ensure women and gender-diverse people have access to sexual and reproductive health services. Where the government missed the mark Where the government Women and gender-diverse people in rural and remote areas faced increased barriers to accessing got it right life-saving services such as shelters and sexual and reproductive health services in the context of As lockdown measures came into effect, the the pandemic. Many sexual and reproductive health government was quick to recognize the impact of facilities closed or moved to telemedicine services, these measures on women’s safety. In March 2020, which can be particularly challenging for young the federal government announced $50m to support people, women in abusive relationships, those without organizations working to end violence against access to reliable phone or internet connection women.42 Up to $26m was dedicated to shelters and folks in precarious housing situations. and transition houses. Women’s Shelters Canada, an umbrella organization for shelters and transition Despite abortion being legal and free throughout all houses, distributed $20.5m to over 400 shelters provinces and territories,47 access is still too often in the spring. In October 2020, the government determined by socioeconomic status and postal announced an additional $50m in funding, of which code, which was only worsened by the COVID-19 $36.3m was dispersed to shelters and sexual pandemic. People outside of urban centres face assault centres through Women’s Shelters Canada multiple barriers to accessing vital and time-sensitive 43 and the Canadian Women’s Foundation. Funding abortion care. Even where the rural population accounts 2021 was also made available through different channels for 35–40% of total population, such as in Alberta, to Indigenous shelters and organizations operating Manitoba and Ontario, abortion clinics are not in Quebec. Women’s organizations welcomed the equitably available.48 The cost of transportation to government’s trust, and reduced red tape ensured urban centres, coupled with the costs of child care funds reached shelters quickly. and elder care, are prohibitive, meaning some people are unable to access abortion care at all. An effective In December 2020, Minister Monsef announced tool already approved in Canada that could combat the expansion of the Advisory Council on Gender- inaccessibility and inequality is Mifegymiso, medical Based Violence, which was originally established abortion.49 However, due to the stigma and personal in January 2019 to inform the development of ideology around abortion, family physicians have the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based not taken up medical abortion at scale and continue Violence, to include a more diverse range of to refer those seeking abortion to specific abortion members.44 Women and Gender Equality Canada care providers. also provided funds for community consultations on the National Action Plan at the end of 2020.45 Feminist Scorecard

13 Lack of access to contraception disproportionately affects vulnerable communities like youth, people of lower socioeconomic status, recent (im)migrants, and rural and remote residents. Canadian healthcare providers and advocates have identified cost as the most prevalent barrier, and this has been magnified during the COVID-19 pandemic.50 Canada remains the only country with universal healthcare but without a national pharmacare plan.51 A universal contraception coverage plan, as part of a national pharmacare strategy, would increase spending by an estimated $157m annually.52 This cost would be offset by the $320m saved in direct medical costs related to unintended pregnancies.53

What’s needed now:

• Disburse long-term, sustainable and core funding to women’s shelters, sexual assault centres and women’s rights organizations so that they can remain open and meet the increased demand resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. • Fast-track the development of the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence, ensuring input from consultations with survivors, community organizations and experts is well reflected and including an accountability framework with time-bound goals and indicators. Ensure sufficient funding for rollout and implementation, in close consultation with 2021

women’s rights and feminist organizations. • Ensure a robust and equally ambitious National Action Plan with the necessary resources to implement the recommendations of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, developing it closely with Indigenous women’s organizations, networks and communities. • Implement a national pharmacare strategy that includes coverage for the full range of contraceptive methods. Work with provinces and territories to address longstanding barriers to abortion care, including access to medical abortion. Feminist Scorecard

14 .

4 REDUCING POVERTY FOR THE MOST MARGINALIZED WOMEN POVERTY Nearly five million people in Canada currently live in poverty SCORE: YELLOW and regularly experience food insecurity. Women-led lone- parent households, Indigenous The Issue Peoples, racialized communities and women with disabilities are The pandemic has exacerbated pre-existing inequities and threatens disproportionately represented to push many more women into poverty, with an unprecedented rise in among those. During the unemployment, lack of access to adequate housing, and increased risk of pandemic, the government intimate partner violence in the context of stay-at-home orders. Canadian has demonstrated the capacity women aged 25 to 54 experienced a decline in their employment at twice to move into action at an the rate of men and are returning to work at a slower rate.55 Racialized unprecedented speed to address women have fared the worst in terms of job losses and decreased income, yet are over-represented in essential work, much of which is low- loss of income and economic paid. Racialized communities have also faced higher rates of COVID-19 hardship. This creates an outbreaks as a result of greater exposure to the virus as essential opportunity to ensure that actions workers.56 At the same time, anti-Black racism and anti-Indigenous be taken just as expediently to racism continues unabated, and the frequency of anti-Asian hate address the systemic causes crimes has increased significantly.57 of poverty and inequity. Between 26 and 33% of the population living in poverty are women with disabilities,58 and the percentage rises for those who are also racialized, Indigenous, (im)migrant, refugees, 2SLGBTIQ+ and/or lone

While we celebrate important milestones, we must also acknowledge that not everyone has been included equally in that progress and that women of colour, Indigenous women, those with disabilities and members of the “LGBTQ2 community have too often been left out, and we resolve to do better.”

— The Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister for Women and Gender Equality.54

15 parents. Compounded with that, one in five women has been more robust than many of its peers with a disability have experienced intimate partner as the CERB and similar programs have directed more violence.59 With COVID-19 and stay at home orders, money to households directly, rather many women with disabilities are in a position of than focusing on businesses.64 having to rely on support from informal networks There are close to 300,000 homeless people in Canada. that likely include their potential abusers.60 Homelessness is uniquely dangerous for women and The government was quick to set up critical gender-diverse peoples. Research shows that 91% of emergency measures to mitigate the economic women in Canada who are homeless have experienced fallout of the pandemic and provide much needed assault in their lifetime. Failing to prevent and end social protection to households and businesses. homelessness for women contributes to cycles of Thus far, the government has implemented or violence and housing precarity.65 The Government announced an astounding $382.4bn in fiscal of Canada first committed $157.5m in April 2020 to measures to respond to the crisis.61 Even more is enable emergency shelters to adjust their operations needed for Canada to fulfill its commitment under to follow health guidelines and then committed $1bn the 2018 Poverty Reduction Strategy to take into in September 2020 for the rapid creation of up to 3,000 greater account the varied experiences and barriers new affordable housing units.66 A further $236.7m that different groups face related to poverty.62 will also be directed through Canada’s Homelessness Strategy to expand the emergency response.67 The newly created Federal Anti-Racism Secretariat Where the government spearheaded several initiatives, including setting up got it right an Equity-Seeking Communities COVID-19 Taskforce in March 2020 as well as town halls with community As it became clear that extended lockdowns were leaders from various communities.68 Also, the Fall necessary to avoid the spread of COVID-19, the Economic Statement commits to supporting anti- government was quick to respond, rolling out racism initiatives with $50m over two years and to several social protection measures to support reviewing the Employment Equity Act, while also people impacted by job losses and shuttered confirming a new program to support Black-owned businesses, as well as those already living in businesses. poverty. This included emergency income (Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) and Canada Early in the pandemic, the government established a COVID-19 Disability Advisory Group, inviting leaders of Recovery Benefit), wage subsidy for businesses 2021 (Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy), wage top-ups the disability community to provide real-time advice for essential workers, and rent assistance (Canada and the application of a disability lens to the federal Emergency Rent Subsidy).63 The government also government’s COVID-19 response. This process was provided support for those who fell sick through the welcomed and the participants expressed the need 69 Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit and those caring to continue beyond its end date of August 2020. for the sick through the Canada Recovery Caregiving The government also committed to bringing forward a Benefit. These measures were in place the entire Disability Inclusion Action Plan that will include a new year, making Canada one of the top performing Canadian disability benefit, an employment strategy G7 countries in terms of providing social protection and a better process to determine eligibility for 70 to its population to weather the storm. A UNICEF government disability programs and benefits. report finds Canada’s social protection response Feminist Scorecard

16 Where the government What’s needed now: missed the mark • Update the federal Poverty Reduction Strategy and National Housing Strategy to be more intersectional, The government was quick in setting up various with targeted actions and objectives to address the emergency benefits to support people who have disproportionate levels of poverty and vulnerability lost their jobs and livelihoods and need to take care of racialized women; gender-diverse people; of others. However, some of the most marginalized Indigenous women, girls and Two Spirit Peoples; fell through the cracks as benefit eligibility remains 71 (im)migrant and refugee women; and women tied to employment conditions. This has left living with disabilities. out countless women who are informal workers or reliant on social assistance. Racialized and • Create a national action plan against racism to Indigenous women and women with disabilities are accompany the national Anti-Racism Strategy, particularly affected.72 Sex workers, for example, containing concrete strategies with actionable lost their livelihood as a result of the pandemic and goals, measurable targets and timetables, and needed income support. While a small group of sex adequate resources to address all forms of racism workers – those working in massage parlours – were including anti-Indigenous racism, anti-Black able to access income supports, the vast majority racism, anti-Asian racism and Islamophobia. The could not. The criminalization of sex work creates a plan should include a review of the Employment barrier for sex workers to access income supports.73 Equity Act. Adopt a federal anti-racism act to build a legislative foundation for the Federal Policy responses also still fall short in addressing Anti-Racism Secretariat. structural and systemic disadvantages along racial lines.74 For example, federal COVID-19 relief • Mandate the collection of data disaggregated by programs have excluded countless women, solely sexuality, race, ability and other sociodemographic due to their precarious immigration status.75 identities as part of the Gender Budgeting Framework Low-income racialized women with precarious to better measure and understand the differential status who dutifully file income tax are denied impact of government policies, programs access to almost all COVID-19 emergency benefits, and practices. including the Canada Recovery Benefit and CERB, • Remove barriers for women with precarious because they lack permanent status in Canada – immigration status to federal income supports, despite disproportionately being the ones putting

including the Canada child benefit, and implement 2021 themselves and their families’ lives at risk by a regularization program to provide a pathway doing essential work.76 to permanent residence status for all people Women with disabilities were another group that with precarious immigration status, including did not receive adequate support. Although the all migrant workers. Accessible Canada Act was signed into law in 2019, • Increase income supports for people with barriers to workforce participation continue to disabilities. be among the main drivers of poverty for people living with disabilities. While the government has responded to the needs of Canadians as COVID-19 evolved, the needs of women with disabilities remain unmet.77 The one-time payment of up to $600 to persons with disabilities offered by the Government of Canada is insufficient and, because it is tied to eligibility for the Disability Tax Credit, leaves countless women behind.78 Feminist Scorecard

17 5 INVESTING IN THE CARE SECTOR CARE WORK COVID-19 has exposed how essential paid and unpaid care SCORE: YELLOW is to our economy, but alsohow fragile Canada’s care sector is. Both the child care and The Issue long-term care sectors require urgent attention to ensure their COVID-19 exposed how important care is for our society and our economy, sustainability in the wake of while also demonstrating just how fragile the care sector is. The pandemic the pandemic. After decades of created challenges for families left without child care options and a effort by child care advocates, dilemma for government policy makers. Even before the pandemic, the government has committed unequal care responsibilities and high child care costs undermined to establishing a national child women’s economic security and contributed to the gender wage gap. care system. The provision of As soon as the pandemic hit, women took on the bulk of unpaid care responsibilities as schools closed and family members became ill – often affordable and quality child care fulfilling the triple duties of homeschooling, care responsibilities and paid will be critical for a feminist employment. Decades of progress towards increasing women’s labour recovery to COVID-19. force is at risk. Economic recovery will be needlessly dampened if women who lost their jobs or were forced to resign due to caregiving duties are unable to return to paid work because of unavailable child care. Economist Armine Yalnizan has rightfully pointed out that there is “no recovery without a ‘she-covery’ and no recovery without child care.”80

I say this both as a working mother and as a minister of finance: Canada will not be truly competitive until all Canadian women have access to the affordable child care we need to support our participation in “our country’s workforce.”

—Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland79

18 Meanwhile, the nation was awakened to the dismal The child care sector has been greatly affected conditions in long-term care homes. Eighty-five by the pandemic with many centres at the brink percent of COVID-19 deaths occurred in long-term of closing permanently. Reliant on parent fees as care homes,81 and Canada has the highest reported income, centres were unable to maintain their national share of COVID-19 deaths for long-term operational costs, such as rent and staff, when care residents in the world.82 Shocking footage of these stopped. The government announced the Safe elders left abandoned demonstrates how broken the Restart Agreement in July 2020 with an investment long-term care sector is. As with child care, long- of more than $19bn to help provinces and territories term and elder care cannot be left to market forces during possible future surges in cases of COVID-19. alone but should be recognized as a human right This included $625m in new federal transfers to the and public good that requires public investment. provinces and territories earmarked for child care – a welcome step, but much more is needed to ensure The government’s commitments and investments the sustainability of an already precarious sector. towards the establishment of a national child care system were welcomed by advocates. Ensuring that The Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit was child care is high-quality, affordable and accessible introduced to give income support to individuals who to all families will be a key priority and will help did not qualify for Employment Insurance and who achieve a wider and faster economic recovery were unable to work due to care responsibilities for post-COVID-19. Given that Canada has some of the children 12 and under. The latest federal figures show highest child care costs and some of the lowest 321,350 unique applicants have been approved for public investments among OECD countries, this will caregiving benefits since it launched in October 202086 require substantial investments and interprovincial – however, as with many other government programs, co-operation. marginalized women have specifically reported challenges in accessing the benefit. Where the government Paternity leave plays an important role in redistributing unpaid care work in the household got it right and shifting traditional gender norms.87 Positive advancements around this include a commitment in 83 Child care advocates applauded the government’s the supplementary mandate letter to the Minister of vision in the September 2020 Speech from the Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Throne calling it a “bold” step towards establishing Inclusion, Carla Qualtrough, to fulfill commitments a robust, high-quality, pan-Canadian early learning to strengthening Employment Insurance, including 2021 and child care system. In the Fall Economic by reforming the delivery of maternity and parental Statement 2020, the Government backed this vision benefits to be tax-free at source. with a proposed commitment of $20m over five years (starting in 2021–2022) for a Federal Secretariat on Early Learning and Child Care, in addition Where the government to $70m over five years to sustain the existing federal Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care missed the mark Secretariat.84 It also committed $420m in transfers to the provinces and territories to address the child While the government’s commitments to building a care workforce crisis. The 2021 supplementary national child care system are laudable, child care mandate letter to the Minister of Families, Children advocates are concerned about the government’s and Social Development, Ahmed Hussen, included capacity to develop a national system due to a range a commitment to “make a significant, long-term of complexities, including the challenge of federal/ and sustained investment to create a Canada- provincial jurisdiction. While increasing federal wide early learning and child care system.”85 spending in the area is a start, a strategy to identify Feminist Scorecard

19 and address the jurisdiction constraints is needed to realize an effective and inclusive system. Early What’s needed now: childhood educators and workers in child care • Allocate adequate resources to the Federal centres are some of the lowest paid workers in Secretariat on Early Learning and Child Care to lead Canada the development of a national child care system and with discrepancies between regulated, unregulated, legislation to ensure access to universal, quality non-profit and for-profit centres. It is critical that and comprehensive child care. Develop a workforce those in the sector help inform strategies and plans strategy to ensure caregivers have decent work moving forward. that pays living wages. Similar concerns also apply to the long-term care • Allocate $2bn for early learning and child care in sector. COVID-19 has exacerbated longstanding Budget 2021 (with an annual increase of $2bn) to structural issues in the long-term care sector, publicly fund a child care system in partnership including discrepancies between non-profit and with the provinces, territories and Indigenous for-profit centres, low wages and poor working governments. conditions for personal support workers.88 Research shows that for-profit and privatized long-term • Ensure that child care is a key element of all care homes tend to provide poorer quality of care economic recovery plans, and that it is treated as as compared to non-profits or municipal long- a necessary public service instead of a commodity. term care homes.89 Large private chains generate • Establish legislation to cement Canada’s profit by short staffing, paying lower wages and commitment to quality, long-term, affordable providing fewer benefits to workers. This was elder care. Increase federal investment in non- brutally exemplified in the first three months of the profit and publicly managed long-term care pandemic: while personal protective equipment and homes, in an aim to end privatization. essential supplies were rationed, and seniors were left in inhumane conditions, three of the largest or-profit long-term care chains in Ontario paid out $58m in dividends to shareholders.90 2021

Feminist Scorecard

20 6 Responding to Humanitarian Crises and CONFLICT & CRISIS Building Lasting Peace In 2020, Canada announced much needed funding for SCORE: YELLOW humanitarian crises aggravated by COVID-19, and continued to demonstrate its commitment to women’s leadership in peace and The Issue security. Yet, Canada has not met its refugee settlement targets at The UN estimates that 235 million more people will be in dire need of some a time when need is high. Refugee form of humanitarian assistance in 2021, which will require an investment women are especially vulnerable of upwards of $35.1bn to address basic humanitarian needs – such as food security, sexual and reproductive health services, water, sanitation to gender-based violence due to and health care.92 The UN Secretary-General called for a global ceasefire, isolation and lockdowns. Canada yet fighting in many war-torn countries continues unabated. Yemen, for must end its sale of arms to Saudi example, which was already suffering the largest humanitarian crisis to Arabia to ensure the conflict in date, is now seeing a rise in COVID-19 infections. We will not be able to Yemen does not fuel further crises. adequately respond to COVID-19 outbreaks without tackling the multiple drivers of protracted conflict situations. Lack of access to water for proper hygiene and basic medical supplies alone has dire consequences for

Over the past decade, we have seen the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance climb from 69 million to over 250 million today. All these issues and all the people affected by these crises already needed our help, and “COVID-19 only served to compound the challenges they face and make the lives of these millions of vulnerable people even more difficult. It has only increased the strain on a global humanitarian system.”

— The Honourable Karina Gould, Minister of International Development (2020)91

21 people already on the brink of starvation. Refugee October 30, 2020 marked the 20th anniversary of the and internally displaced people (IDP) communities adoption of UN Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and are particularly vulnerable as host nations grapple Security. Canada announced $9.9m to support women with poor health infrastructure themselves.93 peacebuilders in conflict-affected countries, with an additional $5m geared towards grassroots women In these contexts, local, grassroots women’s peacebuilders.98 This announcement was celebrated organizations have been responding not only by civil society as to ongoing conflict and violence, but also to the a positive step to advancing women’s leadership challenges of containing a public health crisis. in conflict-affected countries. Canada’s investment in women peacebuilders in 2020 was a welcome move, but the fact that Canada In October 2020, the Minister for Immigration, Refugees continues to sell arms to Saudi Arabia undermines and Citizenship, Marco Mendicino, tabled Canada’s this investment. There is also much work to be goal for 2021–2023 immigration levels.99 The plan done to bring Canada’s refugee intake numbers sets a target of taking in roughly 60,000 refugees per back on target in 2021. year, a much higher number than in previous years, as well as roughly 100,000 people through family reunification. The plan also includes a commitment Where the government to admit up to 500 refugees over the next two years through the new Economic Mobility Pathways Project, got it right which will help qualified refugees apply for permanent residency through existing immigration pathways, Canada has contributed to global efforts to address as well as provide eligible asylum seekers who were dire humanitarian needs and been an outspoken working on the front lines of the pandemic between advocate for global leadership and investments March 13, 2020 and August 14, 2020 with a pathway to end the pandemic. In May 2020, Minister Gould to permanent residency. announced $306m in humanitarian funding94 and in September 2020, the Prime Minister announced an additional $400m.95 By February 2021, the government reported having invested over $740m Where the government in humanitarian and development assistance missed the mark to the global COVID-19 response and supported international organizations to adapt their existing The Minister of International Development’s

funding arrangements to be able to address needs supplementary mandate letter addresses the 2021 created by the pandemic, totaling $488m.96 Part of importance of working with developing countries to that funding has gone to the UN COVID-19 Global support their post-COVID recovery.100 It is essential Humanitarian Response Plan (GHRP), which requires that the government increase support to local US$9.5bn to meet critical humanitarian needs. women’s organizations in the Global South who have Canada is the eighth largest contributor to the been leading response efforts in communities. When GHRP, having provided 2.7% of the overall pledges.97 Canada outlined its feminist approach to humanitarian These investments have been critical, and there action,101 it directly referenced the gender equality continues to be an important role for Canada to targets set out in the Grand Bargain.102 The Grand be an outspoken advocate for humanitarian Bargain calls for 25% of all humanitarian funding to assistance in multilateral spaces. go to local organizations and 15% of that funding to women’s rights organizations.103 It is unclear how Canada is meeting these targets and there is a need for greater transparency and enhanced partnerships with civil society organizations in Canada. Feminist Scorecard

22 October 2020 marked the one-year anniversary What’s needed now: of Canada joining the Arms Trade Treaty. Yet even as a state party, Canada lifted the embargo • Increase Canada’s investments in humanitarian on arms sales to Saudi Arabia in April 2020 – assistance throughout 2021, allocating 25% of to further jeopardizing the lives of an estimated 21 local organizations, with at least 15% designated million people in Yemen who are in dire need of for women’s right organizations. humanitarian assistance as a result of the ongoing conflict.104 This was done at a time when the UN was • Immediately suspend arms exports to Saudi Arabia calling for a global ceasefire.105 Canada committed considering the humanitarian impact in Yemen. $40m for humanitarian assistance to Yemen in • Meet the 2021 resettlement target for refugees 106 2020, but this contribution is in stark contrast set out in the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship to its arms deal with Saudi Arabia worth nearly Canada immigration and refugee policy for 2021– 107 $15bn. Global travel restrictions have limited the 2023, and prioritize family reunification. flow of aid, and there is now a greater need than ever to work with civil society organizations to ensure humanitarian assistance reaches the Yemeni population, and that Yemeni women are supported in their peace-building efforts. Canada accepted 6,000 refugees in 2020, well below its target of resettling 32,000 refugees, placing many refugees in limbo.108 The disruption of visa processing, travel and other resettlement services meant that refugees were stuck in crowded camps where COVID-19 could easily spread. Eighty-four percent of the world’s refugee and IDP population are hosted in low- and middle-income countries, who have been struggling to provide health care and social protection to their populations. Host countries have also been adding restrictions on movement for refugee/IDP communities in camps, thereby increasing their economic insecurity. While 2021 health measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 are important and can include travel restrictions, ensuring refugees can still make it into Canada is important.109 The government committing to covering the costs for mandatory quarantine for newly arrived refugees was a welcome move.110 Feminist Scorecard

23 7 UPHOLDING THE RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS WOMEN INDIGENOUS WOMEN

SCORE: YELLOW Tragically, it took the death of Joyce Echaquan to awake the national consciousness to the racism experienced by Indigenous The Issue women in Canada’s healthcare system. First Nations, Inuit It took a tragedy to bring into stark light the persistent systemic racism experienced by First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples in Canada. In and Métis women continue to October 2020, 37-year-old Joyce Echaquan, a woman of the Atikamekw advocate for the wellbeing of Nation, live-streamed the abuse she experienced in a hospital, including their communities, yet systemic explicitly racist and degrading insults, moments before she died.112 The racism continues to undermine federal government recognized that the healthcare system failed Joyce their rights and security. Over Echaquan and her family, and that First Nations, Inuit and Métis continue the past year the government to endure systemic racism and discrimination when seeking care.113 invested in women’s shelters and Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTIQ+ peoples, despite their agency and sexual assault centres on and resiliency, continue to experience severe levels of systemic social and off reserve, but progress on the economic marginalization, discrimination and exclusion. They experience National Action Plan for Missing disproportionately high rates of poverty and insurmountable barriers to and Murdered Indigenous Women securing housing, food, water, education, employment, transportation and and Girls (MMIWG) is slow and other basic needs.114 Indigenous women and girls continue to be 12 times needs to be prioritized over more likely to be murdered or missing than any other woman in Canada.115 the coming months.

Canadians have rightfully been outraged by the tragic death of Joyce Echaquan. Sadly, we know that Joyce’s experience is not an isolated incident. Racism against First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples has “had devastating impacts.” — The Honourable Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, October 16, 2020111

24 By November 2020, the Government of Canada had Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous committed close to $2.5bn to support Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) by the end of the year. Indigenous communities and organizations during COVID-19, women’s groups welcomed the introduction in including support to women’s shelters and sexual December 2020 of Bill C-15, which is meant to align assault centres.116 However, progress Canada’s laws with UNDRIP.121 The bill acknowledged on the creation of the National Action Plan for the importance of the National Inquiry of Missing and MMIWG was slow. Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, which called on Canada to fully implement UNDRIP and committed to working in partnership with Indigenous women, Where the government girls and 2SLGBTIQ+ peoples in the implementation got it right of UNDRIP. It took the death of Joyce Echaquan for the Recognizing that the pandemic was causing rising government to recognize that key institutions rates of violence against women and gender-based such as Canada’s health care system continue to violence, including against Indigenous women, the fail Indigenous women. Within a few weeks, four government provided dedicated funding to women’s ministers – Indigenous Services, Crown-Indigenous shelters. As part of the first disbursement of $50m Relations, Health and Northern Affairs – produced a in May 2020, $10m was provided to Indigenous joint statement of commitment to eliminate racism in Services Canada for their network of 46 emergency the healthcare system.122 In January 2021, Indigenous shelters on reserve and in the Yukon.117 The Services Canada announced that it was beginning to second tranche of $50m included $10m to support co-develop new distinction-based health legislation organizations providing services related to gender- to improve Indigenous access to high-quality, based violence against Indigenous peoples culturally-relevant health services, together with off reserve. Indigenous partners and the provinces and territories. This is a welcome move, but it is critical the voices of In the Fall Economic Statement 2020, the Indigenous women are front and centre in discussions government committed $147m to support shelters and actions moving forward, as was highlighted and sexual assault centres, including those by the Native Women’s Association of Canada.123 servicing Indigenous women, and allocated $724.1m Indigenous women, girls and gender-diverse people over the next five years to launch a comprehensive are disproportionately affected by systemic racism and Violence Prevention Strategy to expand supports violence in healthcare, facing disproportionately high for Indigenous women, children and 2SLGBTIQ+ 2021 levels of violence and forced sterilization, but they peoples facing gender-based violence.118 This will also have distinct needs such as traditional midwifery support shelters and transitional housing for First and culturally-relevant birthing centres.124 Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples on and off reserve. The government announced $106.3m to combat systemic discrimination against Indigenous peoples and tackle violence against Indigenous women, Where the government girls and 2SLGBTIQ+ peoples.119 In his January 2021 missed the mark supplementary mandate letter to the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, Prime Minister It is striking that at a time of high vulnerability for Justin Trudeau called for accelerating the pace Indigenous women, in terms of health, wellness and to implement the National Action Plan on MMIWG.120 security, the government postponed the launch of the National Action Plan for MMIWG from June 2020 While progress on the National Action Plan on MMIWG to an undetermined date. Months passed between slowed, the government stuck to its commitment the presentation of the final report on MMIWG and the to introduce legislation to implement the United start of the pandemic with little perceivable progress. Feminist Scorecard

25 In a statement published on December 6, 2020, the government acknowledged that families and What’s needed now: survivors have been waiting a long time for action • Accelerate progress to launch the National Action and announced that a core working group of key Plan on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women stakeholders tasked with developing the framework and Girls, and ensure funding to implement the plan. for the National Action Plan remains active. The plan should outline time-bound commitments Following the tragic death of Joyce Echaquan, to implement all 231 Calls for Justice of the National the government convened dialogues in October Inquiry into MMIWG. Indigenous women, their chosen 2020 and January 2021 with federal, provincial representatives and their governments and service and territorial governments, health systems and agencies should be front and centre in the creation Indigenous organizations to discuss concrete of the plan. measures to eliminate anti-Indigenous racism in the • Provide stable and adequate funding to Indigenous Canadian health care system.125 This was a welcome women’s rights organizations and for Indigenous- step, but Indigenous women’s rights organizations designed and -led service delivery to eliminate the expressed their concerns about not being equally systemic barriers restricting Indigenous people’s included in these dialogues, especially since right to self-determination and to meet their Indigenous women, girls and gender-diverse needs in all regions. people are disproportionately affected by systemic racism and violence in healthcare.126 More than 100 • Create a task force, consisting of Indigenous women have come forward with stories of forced women’s groups, to examine racism experienced by sterilization, but likely many more have experienced Indigenous women in Canada’s healthcare system, this cruel treatment.127 Despite calls by the UN identify gaps in service delivery, and develop a to investigate forced sterilization, no progress strategy to address the issues identified. has been made to do so and hold authorities • Improve the collection and availability of accountable. disaggregated data by Statistics Canada on First Indigenous women continue to be overrepresented Nations, Métis and Inuit women and men and in federal prisons. In 2020, Indigenous women 2SLGBTIQ+ peoples to better inform policy. represented over 41 percent of federally incarcerated women, despite only representing four percent of the total female population. These women are at high risk of COVID-19 infections as 2021 little action was taken to slow transmissions in federal prisons. The Native Women’s Association of Canada released a report in November 2020 highlighting the risks faced by Indigenous women in prisons, including the lack of access to culturally safe and trauma-informed services, and called for the swift implementation of the 231 Calls for Justice by the National Inquiry on MMIWG, especially in relation to incarceration.128 Feminist Scorecard

26 8 Tackling Climate Change and Regulating CLIMATE CHANGE & EXTRACTIVES Extractive Industries Women are working to adapt, respond and find solutions to SCORE: YELLOW the climate crisis, which is already threatening lives and livelihoods. As Canada pursues more ambitious climate action, The Issue the government needs to adopt a strong intersectional approach to Despite COVID-19 lockdowns, climate change has not paused. Due to long- strengthen women’s resilience. standing social and economic inequalities, these two compounding crises continue to have devastating and disproportionate impacts on women’s Canada will also require stronger lives and livelihoods, both in Canada and internationally.130 Yet despite corporate accountability measures the challenges, women have been a source of strength, knowledge and to achieve social and gender leadership throughout the crisis, filling critical roles such as health care equity in the transition to a providers, community leaders, frontline workers and caregivers.131 Canada greener economy, and ensure has an opportunity to advance an intersectional, rights-based feminist justice for marginalized peoples. approach that will help drive a just, green recovery that could help shift us towards a more inclusive, resilient world. By removing barriers and ending inequalities that limit women’s participation, societies will become more resilient and better able to respond to current and future challenges, including increased climate risks.

As we continue to address the impacts of COVID-19 and ensure our strong economic recovery, we must also continue to fight climate change for the good of Canadians, our economy and our planet. Canadians don’t “have to choose between clean air and good jobs. This strengthened climate plan will help us build a healthier, fairer and more resilient future that we can be proud to pass on to our children and grandchildren.”

—Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, December 2020129

27 At the same time, communities affected by mining, In December 20202 the federal government also oil and gas operations are facing increased released A Healthy Environment and a Healthy risks during the pandemic with limited options Economy,134 which lays out a credible plan for meeting for community organizing and action. Corporate Canada’s Paris Agreement commitment to reduce accountability mechanisms in Canada are missing emissions to 30% below 2005 levels. While the plan or too weak to prevent human rights violations and includes a GBA+ annex, its effectiveness in advancing address major gender inequities. As the home to the gender equality and supporting an inclusive, just majority of the world’s mining companies, Canada transition will largely depend on the extent to which must do more to ensure that human rights are intersectional gender equity considerations are respected and that mining, oil and gas operations addressed through implementation. The plan could be do not exacerbate existing gender inequality. strengthened in the implementation phase by funding gender-targeted initiatives aimed at supporting women’s full participation in a green recovery and Where the government transition to a net-zero economy, which in turn would help to reduce women’s vulnerabilities to climate- got it right related risks and other disasters. While COVID-19 drew the government’s priorities Under the UN Paris Agreement, developed countries away from climate change in the first half of 2020, committed to mobilizing US$100bn annually by 2020 in several significant steps in the latter part of the climate financing to assist developing countries with year set a course for ambitious climate action efforts to transition to a low-carbon, climate-resilient that also has the potential to advance a just, future. The Agreement includes a provision to extend green recovery. The government’s Fall Economic this financing commitment for another five years, to Statement responded to calls for feminist, green 2025.135 For developing countries struggling under the actions aimed at addressing both COVID-19 and heavy economic burden of COVID-19 and the resulting climate-related risks, though these actions could increase in debt, this climate financing is critical be significantly strengthened by implementing a to building resiliency to climate-related risks and stronger intersectional approach and introducing disasters as they work to recover from the pandemic. the long-promised Just Transition Act.132 In In 2020, Global Affairs Canada sought input from civil November 2020, the federal government introduced society for its next climate finance package, which it Bill C-12,133 which sets a legally binding process to is expected to announce prior to the 2021 UN Climate achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 and establishes Change Conference. 2021 measures to ensure accountability and public transparency as it works to meet this objective. The reporting timeline for it was set to begin in 2030 Where the government but could be moved up to 2025 to strengthen the accountability framework. The government’s efforts missed the mark to ensure a gender balance on the Net-Zero Advisory Climate-smart investments announced under the A Body, including the appointment of Marie-Pierre Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy climate Ippersiel as co-chair, is highly encouraging and will plan were undercut by major financial supports to hopefully result in a strong intersectional gender the fossil fuel sector this year. While some were tied analysis in determining how the pathways to Net- directly to environmental outcomes or job creation, Zero could facilitate an inclusive, just transition. such as the $1.7bn towards the remediation of orphaned and abandoned wells, others had no clear social or environmental conditions attached, such as the $320m bailout to the offshore oil sector in Newfoundland and Labrador. Feminist Scorecard

28 Poor transparency and public reporting make it of investigation, as promised by her predecessor difficult to quantify total federal support to fossil and supported by expert legal advice solicited by fuel extraction.136 For instance, Export Development her department.141 Without an effective complaints Canada and the Business Development Bank of mechanism, victims of corporate human rights abuse Canada extended generous credit to companies are left with no recourse or remedy in Canada. In fact, through the Business Credit Availability Program. human rights advocates and civil society groups are Yet this program offers little transparency around concerned that the Ombudsperson’s new complaints how much funding individual companies and process could do more harm than good due to sectors have received and whether gender equity potential retaliation against complainants.142 was a consideration, despite the highly gender- differentiated impacts of the pandemic-induced recession. Currently, gender equality language is What’s needed now: noticeably absent from the Export Development Act,137 as is any significant mention of the energy • Commit to delivering a fair share of the global transition or the climate crisis. While a legislative US$100bn per year requirement for post-2020 review is mandated by law every ten years, the 2018 climate financing under the Paris Agreement review has languished without any Parliamentary (equating to CAD$5bn annually) with a minimum engagement since the last election.138 commitment of CAD$1.8bn in bilateral climate finance.143 Allocate 50% of climate financing to When the COVID-19 pandemic struck in early 2020, adaptation; provide grants for adaptation to avoid the mining, oil and gas sectors in most countries putting developing countries further in debt – were deemed essential and experienced limited especially for least developed countries and closures, if any. While many small businesses that small island developing states. are women-owned or primarily employing women faced public health lockdowns, major extractive • Support the effective participation of women, operations continued operating and transporting 2SLGBTIQ+ peoples and youth in climate change their workers to and from remote sites. COVID-19 negotiations and decision-making, both in Canada restrictions made community organizing and human and internationally. Support Indigenous-led climate rights–defence work around major projects difficult solutions and ensure all projects funded through and more dangerous. In several countries where Canada’s climate financing respect the rights of Canadian mining companies have a major presence, Indigenous peoples. women human rights defenders have reported • Establish an effective Canadian Ombudsperson 2021 facing greater isolation and increased threats for Responsible Enterprise by making the role during the pandemic.139 In this context of reduced independent, granting it robust powers of civic space and increased risk, it is troubling that investigation and ensuring its processes are gender the Canadian government has done nothing to responsive. Replace the federal government’s enhance its approach to responsible business outdated corporate social responsibility strategy conduct abroad. Global Affairs Canada’s Corporate with legislation on international human rights Social Responsibility Strategy, last revised in 2014 due diligence that covers all business sectors. under the previous Conservative government, fails to align with Canada’s more recent feminist • Require Export Development Canada and FinDev commitments or feminist foreign policy ambitions.140 Canada to respect international human rights International Trade Minister Mary Ng has refused obligations, support efforts to advance gender to empower the Canadian Ombudsperson for equality and ensure all investments align with Responsible Enterprise with legislated powers Canada’s commitments under the Paris Agreement. Feminist Scorecard

29 9 ADDRESSING THE UNEQUAL ECONOMICS OF WOMEN’S WORK WORK & PAY EQUITY

SCORE: YELLOW COVID-19 has exacerbated existing economic inequalities and reversed decades of progress towards gender equality. There The Issue are now fewer women in the workforce than there were COVID-19 has exacerbated existing economic inequalities and rolled back decades of progress towards gender equality. The economic downturn in 1990. The government’s caused by this pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on women commitment to adopting a feminist and most acutely those who belong to Black, Indigenous or racialized economic recovery through the communities, (im)migrants and refugees, women living with disabilities establishment of a National Action and members of the 2SLGBTIQ+ communities. Even before the pandemic, Plan is a first step. In the long the gender wage gap left women at an economic disadvantage. In 2018, term, the government’s economic women in Canada were on average earning 74 cents to every dollar recovery plan must focus on made by men – with Indigenous women at 65 cents, racialized women women-majority sectors and 145 at 67 cents and women with disabilities at 54 cents. COVID-19 has prioritize the needs of vulnerable worsened conditions considerably and pushed women’s participation workers. in the labour force down to its lowest level in three decades, with 1.5 million women losing their jobs in the first two months of the recession.146

Women – and in particular low-income women – have been hit hardest by COVID-19. This crisis has been described as a She-cession. Many women have bravely served on the frontlines of this crisis, in our communities or by “shouldering the burden of unpaid care work at home. We must not let the legacy of the pandemic be one of rolling back the clock on women’s participation in the workforce, nor one of backtracking on the social and political gains women and allies have fought so hard to secure.”

— Speech from the Throne to open the 2nd session of the 43rd Parliament of Canada144

30 This phenomenon has been referred to as a “complete the implementation of the Pay Equity Act” “she-cession” by economists.147 Throughout the and to “launch a review of the Employment Equity pandemic, school closures and inaccessible child Act, as we advance work on equity, diversity and care has made it difficult for women to participate inclusion for women, LGBTQ2 Canadians, Indigenous in the paid workforce, even for those working from Peoples, Black and racialized Canadians, persons home, as women are spending almost twice as with disabilities and other underrepresented much time as men on unpaid care work. groups.”148 This was in addition to the announcement of $6.6m to support a task force on renewing the The Government recognized the disproportionate Employment Equity Act – which will advise the Minister impact of the economic crisis on women and of Labour on how the federal employment equity announced a taskforce to guide an Action Plan for process could be modernized. This complimented Women in the Economy. This a first step towards the recent reappointment of the federal Pay ensuring a feminist approach to the recovery, but it Equity Commissioner.149 If resourced properly, the is critical that the taskforce be focused on women- Commissioner’s unit has the opportunity to implement majority sectors and the most marginalized workers, the Act – helping women workers understand their and that immediate action be taken to advance rights and obligations and facilitate pay equity disputes.150 women’s economic security. A feminist recovery would recognize the value of women’s work and Sexual harassment and violence are a serious ensure that work is decent and equally paid. barrier to women’s economic equality, especially in the workplace. Advocates were pleased to see the government commit to advancing Bill C-65 in 2021, Where the government which aims to amend the Canadian Labour Code to require federally regulated employers to investigate, got it right record, report, prevent and provide training with As women continue to drop out of the workforce in respect to workplace harassment and violence, 151 record numbers, the government committed to a including sexual harassment and sexual violence. feminist, intersectional response to the pandemic This is an important step, especially considering and recovery. In the Speech from the Throne, a the legislation describes harassment as a form taskforce was announced to develop and guide of workplace violence. How the legislation will an Action Plan for Women in the Economy, to be be enforced and resourced remain to be seen. housed in the Department of Finance. The taskforce

is comprised of a diverse group of experts, including 2021 business leaders, economists, and representatives Where the government from the non-profit and child care movement. Given missed the mark this, the taskforce has tremendous potential to steer Canada towards a feminist economic recovery, Without investments in women-majority sectors, however its success is contingent on the financial including the care, non-profit, retail and hospitality resources it is given and the ongoing commitment sector, a feminist recovery will be impossible. Women of the government to take up the taskforce’s have a right to decent work, but women-majority recommendations. sectors continue to be undervalued and characterized by low wages and precarious working conditions. The The pandemic threatens to widen the pay gap pandemic has demonstrated how essential women- between men and women further, with women majority sectors are to the economy and our societies’ leaving the workforce for extended periods of well-being. Women make up 95% of the child care time or reducing their hours to accommodate care workforce and 80% of the non-profit sector. These responsibilities. The supplementary mandate letter sectors employ millions of women and provide critical to the Minister of Women and Gender Equality services to millions of people in Canada – yet offer low and Rural Development calls on the minister to Feminist Scorecard

31 wages and fail to attract meaningful government investments. The Fall Economic Statement was What’s needed now: a missed opportunity to show commitment to • Ensure the Task Force on Women in the Economy improving women’s work. The statement did not is adequately resourced, and maintains a strong make specific reference to investing in women- focus on issues raised by women’s rights and majority sectors but continued to emphasize skills equality-seeking organizations, with a focus on training with the aim of moving women into other the economic fallout of the pandemic in women- sectors, such as science, technology, engineering, majority sectors. math and trades. • Collect disaggregated, intersectional data at the The pandemic has only heightened pre-existing federal, provincial and municipal levels on the inequalities and the government must do more to impacts of COVID-19 to inform an intersectional address systemic racism and discrimination in the gender-based analysis on all forthcoming economy. For example, there are approximately pandemic policies. 25,000 migrant care workers in Canada today, almost all of whom live in their employers’ homes.152 • Expand women’s access to Employment Insurance With schools closed and employers working from by modernizing and addressing gaps in the existing home, care work intensified immensely – but over system. Adopt best practices from the CERB delivery 40% who kept working reported not being paid for and turn EI into a more agile delivery mechanism any extra hours of work.153 Additionally, close to 1 that gets benefits more quickly and to more people. in 3 care workers lost their jobs, either temporarily • Raise the minimum wage for workers under federal or permanently, because of COVID-19 and a third jurisdiction to a living wage. Ensure paid sick leave of migrant care workers that lost work reported is expanded to cover all workers and continues ongoing problems with obtaining emergency income after emergency benefits. support including Canada Emergency Response Benefit and Employment Insurance.154 While the • Ratify the International Labour Organization’s government has been offering pilot programs to Convention 189 on the protection of domestic provide in-home caregivers a route to permanent workers and improve access to the Temporary residency in 2 years, the slow processing times Foreign Worker Program for caregivers and their and stringent requirements act as barriers for families, which provides pathways to permanent many caregivers. residency and access to justice, basic services and supports. Ensure that domestic workers who Because of the precariousness of women’s 2021 are migrant care workers in Canada can access employment, many women have difficulty accessing all emergency benefits such as the CERB. Employment Insurance or receive such low levels of support that they are forced to move from one low-paying job to another. There are also too many stories of pregnant women losing employment just before becoming eligible for maternity leave benefits. While the mandate letter to the Minister of Labour addresses the need to modernize Employment Insurance in reference to self- employed and gig economy workers – this needs to extend to all women-majority sectors and the most vulnerable women workers. Feminist Scorecard

32 10 BUILDING A PROGRESSIVE TAX SYSTEM TAX Implementing a bold feminist agenda in Canada requires strong SCORE: RED public services funded by a fair and stable tax base. While a GBA+ lens is applied in the federal budget, The Issue little progress has been made on bringing a feminist approach to Federal spending in Canada hit record levels in 2020 due to pandemic reforming Canada’s tax system. emergency response measures. Prime Minister Trudeau directed his Despite government promises to Finance Minister to “use whatever fiscal firepower is needed in the short tax extreme wealth inequality term to support people and businesses during the pandemic.”156 However, and close tax loopholes, policies the government has shown little appetite for systematic tax reforms to that disproportionately benefit reduce economic inequality and ensure Canada’s long-term fiscal health. the wealthy and help corporations Indeed, wealth inequality in Canada has reached historic heights, with the top 1% estimated to own a staggering 25% of the country’s wealth.157 The avoid paying their fair share pandemic has exacerbated these gaps, with the fortunes of the country’s persist. One positive step this year 44 billionaires increasing by almost $63.5bn since March 2020 and a was the commitment to introduce handful of global corporations generating huge profits.158 automatic tax filing, which could help more marginalized people get A feminist recovery will rely on investments in much needed public services access to government transfers. funded by a progressive tax system. In August, Chrystia Freeland was appointed Canada’s first-ever female Minister of Finance, shattering another glass ceiling in Canadian federal politics. Her Fall Economic Statement in November reiterated several promised tax reforms.159 After five years of government rhetoric around tax fairness, it remains to be seen whether 2021 will be the year these promises are finally turned into action.

The Government will […] identify additional ways to tax extreme wealth inequality, including by concluding work to limit the stock option deduction for wealthy individuals at large, established corporations and “addressing corporate tax avoidance by digital giants.” — Speech from the Throne to open the 2nd session of the 43rd Parliament of Canada155

33 The outgoing federal Taxpayers’ Ombudsperson Where the government flagged some serious disparities in her annual got it right report in June 2020. Many Indigenous, Northern and other vulnerable populations find the tax system One notable action that could immediately “systemically oppressive,” failing to respond to improve the lives of women living in poverty and their needs and circumstances.166 More recently, other marginalized people was the commitment over 400,000 Canadians who applied for the Canada to introduce automatic tax filing. Over $50bn in Emergency Response Benefit were targeted by the federal and provincial transfers are available only to Canada Revenue Agency with threats of penalties 160 individuals who file their tax returns each year. For and potential clawbacks.167 The Revenue Minister years, many low-income and vulnerable Canadians eventually bowed to public pressure and announced who were eligible for government transfers have in February 2021 that self-employed people would not received them due to the barriers they face in not need to repay Canada Emergency Response filing their tax returns. COVID-19 has exacerbated Benefit payments if their gross self-employment these challenges, forcing the closure of volunteer- income met minimum thresholds.168 run community tax programs that help marginalized individuals file their taxes. Moving to automatic tax The government has failed to close major tax filling will help vulnerable Canadians access benefit loopholes that primarily benefit wealthier Canadians, measures that are more crucial than ever given the such as the preferential treatment of capital gains economic hardship caused by the pandemic.161 and stock options. These two federal tax expenditures disproportionately benefit men, who gain roughly 76% of the tax benefits in each case, costing the Where the government government an estimated $7bn each year.169 After her predecessor backtracked on closing the stock options missed the mark loophole in 2019, Finance Minister Freeland renewed the promise to do so in her Fall Economic Statement, Despite commitments in the Speech from the although the current proposal would only partially Throne to tackle extreme wealth inequality,154 the close the loophole, leaving it open for some.170 government rejected some of the leading policy Meanwhile, no action has been promised on the solutions to curb extreme wealth accumulation larger problem of not treating capital gains the shortly afterwards. In November 2020, the same as any other form of income. government voted down an NDP motion in the

House of Commons proposing a wealth tax and The government promised a tax crackdown on the 2021 new measures to combat pandemic profiteering digital giants – those large multinational corporations by large corporations.162 An annual net wealth tax that sell digital products and services into Canada of 1% on family net wealth of over $20m would without paying corporate and sales taxes –during the generate about $7bn annually, according to the 2019 election campaign, but progress has been slow. Parliamentary Budget Officer,163 while a slightly Minister Freeland has committed to apply federal sales more progressive one would generate $20bn taxes to these online sales effective July 1, 2021 but annually.164 The redistributive effect of such a tax delayed implementing a corporate tax on multinational would benefit women, who are over-represented corporations providing digital services until in low-income populations, while also help curb January 1, 2022.171 some of the hyper-consumerism by wealthy individuals that is fueling the climate crisis.165 Feminist Scorecard

34 What’s needed now:

• Apply a GBA+ equity lens to all tax expenditures and government transfers in Canada, and introduce automatic tax filing as soon as possible. • Close tax loopholes, especially the preferential treatment of capital gains and stock options that disproportionately benefit wealthy individuals and large corporations. • Introduce a wealth tax on the richest individuals in Canada to address economic inequality and new luxury taxes on carbon-intensive goods and services, like private jets and yachts, to help reduce emissions from hyper-consumerism. Support a pandemic super-profits tax on multinational corporations that would raise billions of dollars in revenue needed to support a just recovery. • Increase tax transparency and accountability, including by introducing a public registry of the beneficial owners of companies, and require multinational enterprises to publish their financial and tax statements on a country-by-country basis. • Introduce national measures to reduce international tax–dodging by corporations and wealthy individuals and demonstrate international leadership on tax reform in multilateral fora. 2021

End Canada’s double non-taxation agreements with known tax havens. Feminist Scorecard

35 acknowledgements

Oxfam Canada acknowledges the support and input of the following individuals in the production of the scorecard:

Jihan Abbas, DisAbled Women’s Network Serisha Iyar, Leading in Colour of Canada (DAWN-RAFHC) Naomi Johnson, Canadian Foodgrains Bank/Canadian Sonia Alimi, DisAbled Women’s Network Coalition on Climate Change and Development of Canada (DAWN-RAFHC) Sarah Kennell, Action Canada for Sexual Cenen Bagon, Vancouver Committee for Domestic Health & Rights Workers and Caregivers Rights (CDWCR) Doug Kerr, Dignity Network Canada Erika Beauchesne, Canadians for Tax Fairness Shalini Konanur, Colour of Poverty – Colour of Change Catherine Caron, Oxfam-Québec Steering Committee/South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario Amy Casipullai, Ontario Council of Agencies Samantha Michaels, Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada Serving Immigrants (OCASI) Arezoo Najibzadeh, Platform Karen Cocq, Migrant Workers Alliance Teika Newton, Climate Action Network Canada for Change/per Rights Network Gloria Novovic, Cooperation Canada Anuradha Dugal, Canadian Women’s Foundation Eddy Pérez, Climate Action Network Canada Emily Dwyer, Canadian Network on Corporate Accountability Leila Sarangi, Campaign 2000 Tamsin Fitzgerald, Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak/ Katherine Scott, Canadian Centre for Policy Women of the Métis Nation Alternatives Martha Friendly, Child Care Canada Simran Singh, CARE Canada Céline Füri, Oxfam-Québec Vicky Smallman, Canadian Labour Congress Karen Hamilton, Above Ground Anjum Sultana, YWCA Jackie Hansen, Amnesty International Canada Toby Sanger, Canadians for Tax Fairness Syed Hussan, Migrant Workers Alliance for Change/ Pamela Uppal, Ontario Nonprofit Network Migrant Rights Network Taryn Wahl, Planned Parenthood Regina Beth Woroniuk, Equality Fund

36 16 Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau. (2021, 19 February). Prime Minister Concludes Productive G7 Leaders’ Meeting. endNotes Retrieved 21 February, 2021, from https://pm.gc.ca/en/news/ news-releases/2021/02/19/prime-minister-concludes- productive-g7-leaders-meeting. 17 Global Affairs Canada. (2020). Canada’s Investments to Support Equitable Access to COVID-19 Tests, Treatments and Vaccines. 1 Oxfam Canada. (2017). Tackling Inequalities in the Global Retrieved 16 February, 2021, from: https://www.canada.ca/en/ Economy: Making Canada’s foreign policy work for women. global-affairs/news/2020/12/canadas-investments-to- Retrieved 2 March, 2021, from https://www.oxfam.ca/publication/ support-equitable-access-to-covid-19-tests-treatments- tackling-inequalities-in-the-global-economy-making- and-vaccines.html canadas-foreign-policy-work-for-women/ 18 G20 Leaders. (2020). G20 Leaders’ Declaration. Retrieved 2 Oxfam. (2018). Oxfam Canada’s Feminist Principles. 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37 30 Governor General. (2020). A Stronger and More Resilient Canada: 47 National Abortion Federation. (2020). Abortion Coverage by Speech from the Throne to open the second session of the Region. Retrieved 1 February, 2021, from https://nafcanada.org/ forty-third Parliament of Canada. Retrieved 20 February, 2021, abortion-coverage-region/ from https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/pco-bcp/ documents/pm/SFT_2020_EN_WEB.pdf 48 Action Canada for Sexual Health & Rights. (2019). Access at a Glance: Abortion services in Canada. Retrieved 1 February, 2021, 31 Status of Women Canada. (2021). Feminist Response and from https://www.actioncanadashr.org/resources/factsheets- Recovery Fund Call for Proposals: About. Retrieved on 17 guidelines/2019-09-19-access-glance-abortion-services- February, 2021, from https://cfc-swc.gc.ca/fun-fin/frrf/ canada index-en.html 49 Ibid. 32 Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau. (2021). Mandate Letters. 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